English Dictionary | Thesaurus | Translator | COBUILD Grammar Patterns | Scrabble | Blog
  • English
  • This page in
    American
    Italiano
    Deutsch
    Español
    Português
    हिंदी
    简体中文
| Sign Up | Log In
 
English
Menu
English Dictionary Thesaurus Translator Grammar Scrabble Blog
  • English
  • This page in
    American
    Italiano
    Deutsch
    Español
    Português
    हिंदी
    简体中文
Sign Up Log In

Definition of 'bargain for'

Word Frequency

bargain for

or bargain on
phrasal verb
If you have not bargained for or bargained on something that happens, you did not expect it to happen and so feel surprised or worried by it.
The effects of this policy were more than the government had bargained for. [VERB PARTICLE noun]
He had not bargained on the mad jealousy which both women developed. [VERB PARTICLE noun]
bargain
COBUILD Advanced English Dictionary. Copyright © HarperCollins Publishers
Word Frequency

bargain for in British

verb
(intr, preposition)
to expect; anticipate (a style of behaviour, change in fortune, etc)
he got more than he bargained for
Collins English Dictionary. Copyright © HarperCollins Publishers
Word Frequency

bargain for in American

1. 
to try to get cheaply
2. 
to expect; anticipate; count on
: also bargain on
bargain
Webster’s New World College Dictionary, 4th Edition. Copyright © 2010 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt. All rights reserved.

Example sentences containing 'bargain for'

These examples have been automatically selected and may contain sensitive content. Read more…
They had certainly got more of an eyeful than they had bargained for. Times, Sunday Times (2011)He got more than he bargained for. The Sun (2012)What she hadn't bargained for was where many of them would come from. Times, Sunday Times (2016)

Trends of 'bargain for'

Used Occasionally. bargain for is one of the 30000 most commonly used words in the Collins dictionary

View usage for:

Nearby words of 'bargain for'

  • bargain basement
  • bargain bin
  • bargain counter
  • bargain for
  • bargain hunter
  • bargain offer
  • bargain on

  • All ENGLISH words that begin with 'B'

Source

Definition of bargain for from the Collins English Dictionary

Types of noun

Nouns can be classified according to what they refer to. Nouns that are really names are called proper nouns. Proper nouns usually refer to a particular named person or thing. They include: the na...
Read more about 'Types of noun'
Word of the day:
affogato
a drink prepared by pouring espresso coffee over a scoop of ice cream
See full definition
Apr 20, 2018
Fed up with the great British weather? Here’s how to afford that dream summer escape
From planning early to knowing where to look, these top tips will help you fulfil your summer holiday desires
Read more
The etymology behind 4 eggs-ellent Springtime words
We’ve explored the diverse etymology of 4 eggs-ellent words associated with spring.
Read more
Up Lit, Alexa Laugh & Meet Me at McDonald’s Hair: March’s Words In The News
Catch up on the latest words in the news this March with Robert Groves.
Read more
Join the Collins community
All the latest wordy news, linguistic insights, offers and competitions every month.
Read more
Latest Word Submissions
Barrecore Apr 18, 2018
wido Apr 18, 2018
centimorgan Apr 17, 2018
gender expansive Apr 16, 2018
Carthritis Apr 15, 2018
Submit View More
Browse the English Dictionary
  • #
  • A
  • B
  • C
  • D
  • E
  • F
  • G
  • H
  • I
  • J
  • K
  • L
  • M
  • N
  • O
  • P
  • Q
  • R
  • S
  • T
  • U
  • V
  • W
  • X
  • Y
  • Z
View all dictionaries...
  • View more
  • API
  • B2B Partnerships
  • Advertising
  • Word Banks
  • Collins COBUILD
  • Collins ELT
  • Terms & Conditions
  • Contact us
  • Languages
  • English
  • Thesaurus
  • Grammar
  • French
  • German
  • Spanish
  • Italian
  • Chinese
  • Portuguese
  • Hindi
  • Word Lists
  • Word of the Year
  • Scrabble
  • COBUILD Anniversary
© Collins 2018